Changeable sign



J. D. TOLLENAAR.

CHANGEABLE SIGN. APPLICATION FILED mm; 2 1921.

Patehted. Mar. 28, 1922.

UNITED stares ,ron'lv n. 'ronnEnAAn, or Kritirsvrnrin', ms'soem.

CHANGEAIBLE SIGN.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented ltlar. 28, 1922.

Application filed June 24, 1921. Serial No. 480,080.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, JOHN D. TOLLENAAR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kirksville, in the county of Adair, State of Missouri, have invented a new anduseful Changeable Sign; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled'in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to changeable signs and has for its object to provide a device of this character particularly adapted for use in connection with toilet doors and operated by said door in such a manner that when the toilet is occupied or vacant the sign will so indicate on the outside of the door.

A further object is to provide a door operated changeable sign comprising a rectangular shaped sign pivotally mounted on the door and provided with spindles. One of said spindles is provided with a ratchet wheel and to provide a pivoted dog pivoted adjacent the upper edge of the door and cooperating with said ratchet whereby as the door is opened the rectangular shaped sign will be rotated. Also to provide leaf spring means for holding therectangular shaped sign in any position to which it may have been moved.

With the above and other objects in view the invention residesin the combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings, described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention may be made within the scope of what is claimed Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings V Figure 1 is a front elevation of a portion of a toilet door and toilet.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail perspective View of the rectangular shaped sign and its operating mechanlsm.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral.

1 designates a conventional form of toilet and 2 the door thereof which is hingedly connected to the toilet at 3.

In toilets of this character there is no way for a party outside of the toilet to ascertain whether the toilet is occupied or not and especially from a distance. To overcome this difficulty a rotatable sign block 4 is provided with pintles 5 rotatably mounted in bearings 6 of brackets carried by the door 2. Secured to the door 2 at a point above the rotatable sign 4 is a leaf spring 7 which spring engages the upper side of the rectangular shaped sign 4. and holds the same against rotation except when rotated for changing the sign by mechanism hereinafter set forth. Pivoted to the front wall 8 of the toilet, at a point above the door opening 9 and between the ears 10 of a bracket 11 is a downwardly extending dog 12. The nose 13 of the dog 12 ratchets over the teeth 14 of the wheel 15 carried by the pintle 5 of the sign 4 when the door 2 is open, and when the door 2 is closed the dog 12 engages one of the ratchet teeth 14 and partially rotates the rectangular shaped sign 4 untilthe leaf spring 7 will complete the rotation and come into engagement with the adjacent face of the sign.

From the above it will be seen that a sign is provided which is positive in its operation and one wherein persons will know at all times whether a toilet is occupied or vacant. The inward movement of the pivoted dog 12 is limited by the engagement of said dog with the shoulder 16 on bracket 11. The invention having been set forth what claimed as new and useful is The combination with a door, of a rotatable sign carried by said door adjacent its upper end and horizontally disposed, said sign being provided with pintles rotatablymounted in bearings, a ratchet wheel carried by one of said pintles, a dog pivoted adjacent the upper edge of. the door but above the same, said dog having its free end disposed on the'ratchet wheel, means whereby said dog will have freedom of action when the door is opened and limited action when the door is closed thereby allowing the dog to slide over the teeth of the ratchet when the door is opened and engage said teeth-when the door is closed thereby partially rotating the sign, said sign being rectangular shaped in cross section, a leaf spring carried by the door and located above name to this specification in the presence the sign, the free erii d of {said leaf sprilng of two subscribing witnesses. enga in the 11 e1 ace 0 t e rectan 11 a1 7 shap d s ign, th eby forming means w%xere v JOHN TOLLENAAR' 5 by the sign will be prevented from rotation Witnesses: y I

except when actuated by the pivoted dog. LAURA TOILENAAR, In testimony whereof I have signed my J A. BILLINGTON'. 

